1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices which retain coins. More particularly, the present invention relates to a change card, as well as methods for using the change card, which retains a specific combination of coins with which exact change for any purchase may be made. The methods for using the change cards of the present invention allows all of the change resulting from a purchase to be received by the change card. The methods and devices of the present invention, by maintaining and controlling an exact predetermined combination coins with which a person may make any purchase, eliminate the burden of loose change.
2. Description of the Related Art
Throughout the course of a day of making purchases, a person accumulates loose change. This gradual accumulation results a pocket or a purse filled with coins at the end of the day. Although it may be carried with a person day after day, a coin purse eventually becomes too full and needs to be emptied. In contrast, a pocket filled with coins is typically dumped on top of a dresser or into a tray upon returning home at the end of the day. Eventually, a person ends up with a substantial supply of coins. On a national scale, the collective supplies of loose change represents a massive amount of coins removed from circulation.
To return their supply of coins back into circulation, individuals need to roll the coins into paper wrappers, which is time consuming and a nuisance, or to take the coins to a bank for this purpose. However, many banks no longer provide this service. To fill this void, companies have developed machines which are often placed in supermarkets which, in return for coins, provide cash, albeit for a not insubstantial commission.
To cope with the accumulation of loose change, a person may use a coin purse which is typically kept in a pocket or a larger purse. Other devices have been developed to retain coins. For example, a portable coin holder and dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,710 holds and retains two quarter dollars. One apparent drawback of such a device is that other coins cannot be held and retained, resulting in a build up of loose change once again.